South Korea’s entertainment industry is filled with countless idols, but there is only one figure who has become the idol of idols themselves: Son Heung-min.
Two months ago, K-pop superstar G-Dragon traveled to Los Angeles to attend one of Son Heung-min’s matches for LAFC. When the two finally met and exchanged greetings, fans witnessed a side of G-Dragon rarely seen in public.
Gone was the confident swagger that usually defines the K-pop icon. Instead, he appeared shy and visibly excited as he waited for Son to approach. Holding up his phone, G-Dragon eagerly followed Son around to capture the moment, smiling like a child meeting his hero. The encounter ended with a warm hug and handshake between two of South Korea’s most celebrated figures in completely different fields.
Just how famous is Son Heung-min?
Within the K-pop industry, G-Dragon is often regarded as a living legend whose presence commands respect wherever he goes. Yet standing beside Son, he looked more like a devoted fan than a superstar. In fact, the BIGBANG leader has publicly expressed his admiration for the footballer on multiple occasions.
The striker born in 1992 has become a national treasure in South Korea, a symbol of Korean pride who transcended Asia to establish himself in the world’s most competitive football arenas. If G-Dragon represents the pinnacle of K-pop, Son Heung-min represents something even broader: a source of national inspiration whose achievements motivate an entire generation of young Koreans.
His story began with a dream of playing football in Europe.
Behind that dream stood his father, Son Woong-jung, a former football player who became his son’s first and most influential coach. He instilled strict discipline in Son, often making him practice juggling the ball for hours. More importantly, he taught him humility, respect for opponents, and the importance of maintaining strong personal values.
Years later, Son turned his father’s dream into reality. He excelled in Germany before moving to the English Premier League, widely regarded as the toughest football competition in the world. There, he continued to shine, eventually becoming the Premier League’s top scorer and fulfilling South Korea’s long-held dream of producing a truly world-class football star.
South Korea once had Park Ji-sung, who enjoyed tremendous success at Manchester United. However, Son elevated Korean football to another level. He became the first Asian player widely recognized as being on equal footing with the brightest stars in the Premier League, inspiring younger generations through his humility, ambition, and relentless pursuit of excellence.
Compared to Son Heung-min, even the biggest K-pop idols often seem smaller in terms of national influence. From children to the elderly, virtually everyone in South Korea knows who Son is. When the Korean national team competes on the world stage, especially at events like the FIFA World Cup, millions tune in expecting Son to carry the team. For more than a decade, he has embraced that responsibility.
Economically, Son’s impact is staggering. Reports estimate that he generates nearly 2 trillion won (approximately $1.8 billion USD) in economic value for South Korea. Around 920 billion won comes from domestic production, consumption, and exports of products associated with his image, including fashion, cosmetics, and food. In addition, his contribution to enhancing South Korea’s national brand reputation has been valued at nearly 730 billion won.
The Son Heung-min fever is reaching new heights during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
As South Korea competes on football’s biggest stage, celebrities are openly showing their support. Karina and Winter were recently spotted in the stands cheering for Son and the national team. Dressed in red jerseys and waving Korean flags, the two K-pop stars quickly became media headlines themselves.
In reality, the list of celebrities who have publicly expressed admiration for Son Heung-min is nearly endless. RM once wore a cap embroidered with Son’s name to show support before a UEFA Champions League final.
Popular solo singer Lim Young-woong, whose fanbase rivals those of major idol groups, reportedly made every effort to convince Son to participate in an amateur football match alongside him.
Meanwhile, actress Jun Ji-hyun personally approached Son to take a selfie together. When Son politely bowed to thank her for attending an event, the actress excitedly responded, “Oh my goodness, thank you so much!” The image of one of Korea’s most elegant and influential actresses beaming with joy after taking a photo with Son quickly became a major topic across Korean media.
These days, South Koreans are counting down the hours until each World Cup match. Jerseys bearing Son’s iconic No. 7 and the name “Heungmin” have become the hottest items in the country. Nike, the official supplier of the national team’s uniforms, revealed that Son’s No. 7 jersey sold out within just 24 hours of its release in South Korea. In the United States, Korean fans have been lining up for hours before matches in hopes of purchasing the same shirt.
Everyone understands that the 2026 FIFA World Cup could be Son Heung-min’s final major international tournament with the South Korean national team.
And perhaps most importantly, everyone understands that it may be a very long time before South Korea sees another Son Heung-min.
Sources: Znews
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